1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle suspension control system and control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, information on road conditions is obtained from map data and the like, and vehicle suspension characteristics are controlled according to the information obtained. For example, the vehicle control system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2000-322695 is designed to reduce the jolting sensation that occurs when the vehicle passes over a change in the level of the road surface.
However, with the conventional vehicle control system, the jolting sensation can be reduced only when information on road conditions can be obtained. For example, when a vehicle is traveling a narrow roadway and the driver attempts to turn the vehicle left or right at an intersection or the like that has an irregular conformation, a failure to start the turn at the right point, a difference in tracking between the front and rear inside wheels, or another such factor may result in a wheel riding up over a change in level located between the roadway and the sidewalk at the side of the road. In these cases, often only one wheel rides up and over the change in level, and the jolting cannot be reduced.